Grade Level Expectations, Grade Level Learning Concepts

CT State Dept of Education

Prekindergarten – Grade 8

SCIENCE

Curriculum Standards

And Assessment Expectations

(Grade Level Expectations, Grade Level Learning Concepts)

(adapted for New Haven Public Schools Pacing)

Dec 09

Properties of Matter - How does the structure of matter affect the properties and uses of materials?
PREKINDERGARTEN
PK.1 - Objects have properties that can be observed and used to describe similarities and differences
Core Science Curriculum Framework / Preschool Curriculum Framework / Grade-Level Expectations
Students should be able to: / Preschool Assessment Framework
PK.1.a. Some properties can be observed with the senses, and others can be discovered by using simple tools or tests. / Cognitive Development: Logical-Mathematical/Scientific Thinking -
1.  Ask questions about and comment on observations and experimentation;
2.  Collect, describe and record information;
3.  Use equipment for investigation;
4.  Use common instruments to measure things;
5.  Demonstrate understanding of one-to-one correspondence while counting;
6.  Order several objects on the basis of one attribute;
7.  Sort objects by one or more attributes and regroup the objects based on a new attribute;
8.  Engage in a scientific experiment with a peer or with a small group. / 1.  Use senses to make observations of objects and materials within the child’s immediate environment.
2.  Use simple tools (e.g., balances and magnifiers) and nonstandard measurement units to observe and compare properties of objects and materials.
3.  Make comments or express curiosity about observed phenomena (e.g., “I notice that…” or “I wonder if…”).
4.  Count, order and sort objects (e.g. blocks, crayons, toys) based on one visible property (e.g., color, shape, size).
5.  Conduct simple tests to determine if objects roll, slide or bounce. / COG 1 Engages in scientific inquiry
COG 3 Sorts objects
COG 5 Compares and orders objects and events
COG 6 Relates number to quantity
Heredity and Evolution – What processes are responsible for life’s unity and diversity?
preKindergarten
PK.2 — Many different kinds of living things inhabit the Earth.
Core Science Curriculum Framework / Preschool Curriculum Framework / Grade-Level Expectations
Students should be able to: / Preschool
Assessment Framework
PK.2.a. Living things have certain characteristics that distinguish them from nonliving things, including growth, movement, reproduction and response to stimuli. / Cognitive Development: Logical-Mathematical/Scientific Thinking -
1.  Ask questions about and comment on observations and experimentation;
2.  Collect, describe and record information;
3.  Sort objects by one or more attributes and regroup the objects based on a new attribute;
4.  Compare and contrast objects and events.
Personal and Social Development –
1.  Identify themselves by family and gender.
2.  State at least two ways in which children are similar and two ways in which they are different. / 1.  Use the senses and simple tools to make observations of characteristics and behaviors of living and nonliving things.
2.  Give examples of living things and nonliving things.
3.  Make observations and distinguish between the characteristics of plants and animals.
4.  Compare attributes of self, family members or classmates, and describe how they are similar and different. / COG 1 Engages in scientific inquiry
COG 3 Sorts objects
COG 5 Compares and orders objects and events
P & S 9 Recognizes similarities and appreciates differences
Energy in the Earth’s Systems – How do external and internal sources of energy affect the Earth’s systems?
PreKindergarten
PK.3 — Weather conditions vary daily and seasonally.
Core Science Curriculum Framework / Preschool Curriculum Framework / Grade-Level Expectations
Students should be able to: / Preschool
Assessment Framework
PK.3.a. Daily and seasonal weather conditions affect what we do, what we wear and how we feel. / Cognitive Development: Logical-Mathematical/Scientific Thinking -
1.  Ask questions about and comment on observations and experimentation;
2.  Collect, describe and record information;
3.  Demonstrate an understanding of sequence of events and time periods;
4.  Make and verify predictions about what will occur.
Personal and Social Development –
1.  Use self-help skills / 1.  Use the senses to observe and describe evidence of current or recent weather conditions (e.g., flags blowing, frost on window, puddles after rain, etc.)
2.  Notice weather conditions and use words and numbers to describe and analyze conditions over time (e.g., “it rained 5 times this month”.)
3.  Identify the season that corresponds with observable conditions (e.g., falling leaves, snow vs. rain, buds on trees or greener grass).
4.  Make judgments about appropriate clothing and activities based on weather conditions. / COG 1 Engages in scientific inquiry
PHY 3 Cares for self independently
Science and Technology in Society – How do science and technology affect the quality of our lives?
preKindergarten
PK.4 — Some objects are natural, while others have been designed and made by people to improve the quality of life.
Core Science Curriculum Framework / Preschool Curriculum Framework / Grade-Level Expectations
Students should be able to: / Preschool
Assessment Framework
PK.4.a. Humans select materials with which to build structures based on the properties of the materials. / Cognitive Development: Logical-Mathematical/Scientific Thinking -
1.  Ask questions about and comment on observations and experimentation;
2.  Sort objects by one or more attributes and regroup the objects based on a new attribute;
3.  Make and verify predictions about what will occur;
4.  Engage in a scientific experiment with a peer or with a small group;
Personal and Social Development –
1.  Demonstrate the ability to use a minimum of two different strategies to attempt to solve a problem;
Creative Expression/Aesthetic Development -
1.  Use a variety of art materials and activities for sensory experience and exploration. / 1.  Observe, describe and sort building materials by properties such as strength, weight, stiffness or flexibility.
2.  Pose questions and conduct simple tests to compare the effectiveness of different building materials (e.g., blocks of wood, plastic, foam or cardboard) for constructing towers, bridges and buildings.
3.  Make judgments about the best building materials to use for different purposes (e.g., making the tallest tower or the longest bridge).
4.  Invent and explain techniques for stabilizing a structure.
5.  Compare block structures to pictures and to real structures in the neighborhood. / P & S 1 Shows self-direction with a range of materials
COG 1 Engages in scientific inquiry
COG 2 Uses a variety of strategies to solve problems
COG 3 Sorts objects
COG 7 Demonstrates spatial awareness
CRE 1 Builds and constructs to represent own ideas
Energy in the Earth's Systems - How do external and internal sources of energy affect the Earth's systems?
NEW HAVEN KINDERGARTEN UNIT 1, 3 STC Weather
K.3 — Weather conditions vary daily and seasonally.
Core Science Curriculum Framework / Underlying Concepts
Students should understand that… / Grade-Level Expectations
Students should be able to… / Assessment
K.3.a. Daily and seasonal weather conditions affect what we do, what we wear and how we feel. / 1.  The sun is the source of heat and light that warms the land, air and water. Variations in the amount of sunlight that reaches the earth cause the weather.
2.  Weather conditions can be observed and described as sunny, cloudy, rainy, foggy, snowy, stormy, windy, hot or cold. Weather observations can be made based on how we feel, what we see or hear, or by using weather measurement instruments such as thermometers.
3.  Changes in weather conditions can be recorded during different times of day, from day to day, and over longer periods of time (seasonal cycle). Repeated observations can show patterns that can be used to predict general weather conditions. For example, temperatures are generally cooler at night than during the day and colder in winter than in spring, summer or fall.
4.  Weather influences how we dress, how we feel, and what we do outside.
5.  Weather affects the land, animals and plants, and bodies of water.
6.  When the temperature is below “freezing,” water outside freezes to ice and precipitation falls as snow or ice; when the temperature is above freezing, ice and snow melt and precipitation falls as rain.
7.  Clouds and fog are made of tiny drops of water. Clouds have different shapes, sizes and colors that can be observed and compared. Some cloud types are associated with precipitation and some with fair weather.
8.  Wind is moving air. Sometimes air moves fast and sometimes it hardly moves at all. Wind speed can be estimated by observing the things that it moves, such as flags, tree branches or sailboats.
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: weather, season (winter, spring, summer, fall), thermometer, precipitation, freezing, melt / 1.  Use the senses to observe daily weather conditions and record data systematically using organizers such as tables, charts, picture graphs or calendars.
2.  Analyze weather data collected over time (during the day, from day to day, and from season to season) to identify patterns and make comparisons and predictions.
3.  Observe, compare and contrast cloud shapes, sizes and colors, and relate the appearance of clouds to fair weather or precipitation.
4.  Write, speak or draw ways that weather influences humans, other animals and plants.
5.  Make judgments about appropriate clothing and activities based on weather conditions. / A7. Describe and record daily weather conditions.
A8. Relate seasonal weather patterns to appropriate choices of clothing and activities.
Properties of Matter - How does the structure of matter affect the properties and uses of materials?
NEW HAVEN KINDERGARTEN UNIT 2 DSM Properties/FOSS Wood
K.1 - Objects have properties that can be observed and used to describe similarities and differences
Core Science Curriculum Framework / Underlying Concepts
Students should understand that: / Grade-Level Expectations
Students should be able to: / Expected Performances
K.1.a. Some properties can be observed with the senses, and others can be discovered by using simple tools or tests. / 1.  Humans have five senses that they use to observe their environment. A specific sense organ is associated with each sense.
2.  Objects have properties that can be observed using the senses. Examples include size, weight, shape, color, texture, transparency, etc. An object’s observable properties do not include the object’s name or its uses.
3.  Sorting objects into groups based on one (or more) of their properties makes it possible to observe and describe their similarities and differences.
4.  Placing objects in order based on their size or weight makes it possible to observe patterns and describe relationships among the objects in a group.
5.  Objects can be described and sorted based on the materials from which they are made (for example, wood, paper, fabric, plastic, glass or metal). Objects can be made of a mixture of materials.
6.  Objects can be described and sorted based on the results of simple tests. Simple tests include actions such as bending, squeezing, holding it near a magnet or putting it in water. Objects can be described as magnetic/nonmagnetic, flexible/not flexible, hard/soft, a floater/sinker, etc.
7.  The heaviness of objects can be compared using the sense of touch. Balances and scales are measurement tools that allow people to observe and compare the heaviness of objects more accurately. Objects can be sorted into groups that have the same heaviness, or into groups that are “more heavy than” or “less heavy than” a given object.
8.  The temperature of the air, water or bodies can be compared using the sense of touch. A thermometer is a measurement tool that allows people to compare temperatures more accurately.
9.  Objects can be sorted into groups based on measurements of their size. Nonstandard units for measuring size include hands, footsteps, pennies or paper clips.
SCIENTIFIC LITERACY TERMINOLOGY: senses, observe, observation, property, sort, classify, material, float, sink, flexible, heavy, magnetic, nonmagnetic, thermometer / 1.  Match each of the five senses with its associated body part and the kind of information it perceives.
2.  Make scientific observations using the five senses, and distinguish between an object’s observable properties and its name or its uses.
3.  Classify organisms or objects by one and two observable properties and explain the rule used for sorting (e.g., size, color, shape, texture or flexibility).
4.  Use simple tools and nonstandard units to estimate or predict properties such as size, heaviness, magnetic attraction and float/sink.
5.  Describe properties of materials such as wood, plastic, metal, cloth or paper, and sort objects by the material from which they are made.
6.  Count, order and sort objects by their observable properties. / A1. Use the senses and simple measuring tools, such as rulers and equal-arm balances, to observe common objects and sort them into groups based on size, weight, shape or color.
A2. Sort objects made of materials such as wood, paper and metal into groups based on properties such as flexibility, attraction to magnets, and whether they float or sink in water.
A3. Count objects in a group and use mathematical terms to describe quantitative relationships such as: same as, more than, less than, equal, etc.
Science and Technology in Society - How do science and technology affect the quality of our lives?
NEW HAVEN: KINDERGARTEN UNIT 2 FOSS Wood, DSM Properties
K.4 — Some objects are natural, while others have been designed and made by people to improve the quality of life.
This content standard is an application of the concepts in content standard K.1 and should be integrated into the same unit.
Core Science Curriculum Framework / Underlying Concepts
Students should understand that… / Grade-Level Expectations
Students should be able to… / Assessment
K.4.a. Humans select both natural and man-made materials to build shelters based on local climate conditions, properties of the materials, and their availability in the environment. / 1.  People need shelters to keep warm or cool, dry and safe. Shelters are made of materials that have properties that make them useful for different purposes.
2.  People in different regions of the world build different kinds of shelters, depending on the materials available to them, the local climate and their customs.
3.  Traditionally, people have built shelters using materials that they find nearby. Today, people build houses from materials that may come from far away.
a. People who live in forested regions have traditionally built shelters using wood and/or leaves from nearby trees.